I just went to Amazon.co.uk and ordered all three Preminger noirs. Found a retailer selling them for 13 pounds each, which is a fair discount considering Amazon's retail price of nearly 20 pounds each. That's like $14 off each!

But this order pretty much guarantees that they'll be announced for release in North America within the week.

Good show, old boy. That's a purchase you would not have regretted even at full retail value.

I'm always reluctant to buy anything from .ca or .uk or .au Not that I have anything against those last two countries, you understand; mostly it's because them exchange rates bewilder me. I'm always afraid I'm gonna get ripped off royally in such a transaction (also, my DVD playa don't play Region 2 stuff, the piecea crap!).

I only buy that stuff if I'm absolutely sure that I can't get it any other way. And I still shop around to find the best bargain. There are some sellers on Amazon in the U.S. that sell Region 2/Pal titles, that's how I got A Canterbury Tale, but if it's a title like my Will Hay double feature of Oh Mr. Porter!/Convict 99, then I go to the source, 'cause I'm pretty sure it isn't going to show up on these shores. Stuff like my double-DVD set of British comedy troupe The Goodies is another such title.

But I'm glad I held out on the Premingers until a sub-retailer had them for something like one-third off Amazon.UK's prices.

The Goodies set is well worth getting...a nice batch of classic episodes with commentary and some rare bits of footage here and there. The show is a bit creaky after all these years, but eps like Kitten Kong still have their share of laughs. I can't believe this was treated as a kids' programme (in one later episode, they have a poster of The Damned on the wall!).